LAST CHANCE ROVER SALOON

Carpe Diem Chelsea, carpe diem!! Seize the day Chelsea, seize the day! This is it; this really is our last chance saloon. If Chelsea fail to beat Blackburn Rovers at the Bridge on Saturday, a day before Tottenham challenge Man Utd’s unbeaten run, then it really is all over, for this year. We can argue formations until we’re blue in the face, but without desire, movement and genuine belief, we have nothing.

Personnel wise, Chelsea are not too far from being back to full strength. Alex has returned from Brazil and will be back in about 4 weeks, Zirchov is in light training and those missing from Sunday’s drubbing of Ipswich are set to return. However will Carlo select them? I think Ashley Cole is a shoe-in, as is Michael Essien, but will Drogba get the nod over in-form Daniel Sturridge? Sturridge has immense potential and seven goals in his last two outings will surely provide Ancelotti with a selection dilemma. Personally, I would play them both. I would play a front three, for this game, of Anelka, Drogba and Sturridge, with Malouda making way. Malouda looks tired and maybe the traumas of a summer in South Africa are catching up with him!

Three points on Saturday will see us overtake Tottenham, who will hopefully draw on Sunday with Man Utd. Then its time to kick on and cement that top four place, which is surely our main objective at this moment. I honestly believe Tottenham will fade once the Champions league kicks off again. Therefore, a run of victories will see us open up a gap and we can all heave a sigh of relief.

Blackburn Rovers have been up and down like the proverbial this season. Last time out, they sealed the fate of Roy of the Reds, with an impressive 3-1 victory. They have drawn 1 , won 2 and lost 3 in the last 6.Top scorer is Kalnic, who is prone to a card or two, alongside Pedersen with 4 goals each and just ahead, of public enemy number one, EH Diouf.

Chelsea will be far too strong, for Rovers, and will improve our goal difference by at least four. So Carlo, one more ancient phrase from your country of birth, ‘fortius quo fidelius’ … strength through loyalty!